Microstructure and mechanical behaviour of additive manufactured Ti–6Al–4V parts under tension

• Published in: EPJ Web of conferences Vol. 221; p. 1037
• Main Authors: Panin, Alexey, Kazachenok, Marina, Kolmakov, Alexey, Chizhik, Sergey, Heifetz, Mikhail, Chugui, Yuri
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Les Ulis EDP Sciences 2019
• Subjects: Additive manufacturing; Crystal dislocations; Crystallography; Deformation mechanisms; Diamond pyramid hardness; Electron beam melting; Electron microscopy; Freeform fabrication; Laser beam melting; Mechanical properties; Metal powders; Microscopy; Microstructure; Morphology; Strain; Tensile tests; Titanium base alloys
• ISSN: 2100-014X; 2101-6275; 2100-014X
• DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/201922101037

Metal-based additive manufacturing technologies using electron or laser beams as a heat source for melting a metal powder or wire have been the subject of keen interest in recent years. At present paper a comparative analysis of the microstructure, strain response during tensile test and mechanical properties of Ti–6Al–4V samples produced by selective laser melting, electron beam melting or electron beam free-form fabrication were performed. A microstructural study using transmission electron microscopy revealed columnar prior β grains transformed into a lamellar α-morphology in the samples. According to X-ray diffraction study, the volume fractions of the β-Ti phase in the samples were equal to 2, 4 and 6 % respectively. It has been shown that the Vickers microhardness of SLM and EBM Ti–6Al–4V samples was similar (~5.4 GPa) while the hardness of EBF 3 parts was significantly lower (4.5 GPa). The uniaxial stress-strain response of the Ti–6Al–4V samples fabricated by different additive manufacturing technologies were compared. Crystallographic (dislocation motion) and non-crystallographic (shear banding) deformation mechanisms of the loaded samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy and optical profilometry.